Data Management System, Server, and Data Management Method

1. A server which is connected to other server through a network and transfers data managed by the server in accordance with a request from a terminal, comprising: recording means for recording the number of times of transfer of target data managed by the server, which is requested from the terminal through a second server, in association with the second server and the target data; and copy means for copying the data to the second server on condition that the number of times of transfer of the target data requested through the second server exceeds a predetermined number.

2. A server which is connected to another server through a network and tranfers data managed by the server in accordance with a request from a terminal connected to the other server, wherein the data is managed in an object format, the object contains the data, a management method, and management data, the server comprises means for executing processing defined in the management method, and the management method defines processing of recording the number of times of transfer of data managed by the server, which is requested from the terminal through a second server, as the management data in association with the second server and the data, and processing of copying the object of the data to the second server for which the number of times exceeds a predetermined number.

3. A program for causing a computer, which is connected to a second server through a network and tranfers data managed by the computer in accordance with a request from a terminal, to function as: recording means for recording the number of times of transfer of target data managed by the server, which is requested from the terminal through the second server, in association with the other server and the target data; and copy means for copying the target data to the second server on condition that the number of times of transfer of the target data requested through the second server exceeds a predetermined number.

4. A data management method of, for a plurality of servers connected through a network, transferring data managed by each server in accordance with a request from a terminal connected to the server, wherein: the data is managed in an object format, the object contains the data, a management method, and management data, the data management method comprises the step of executing processing defined in the management method, and the management method defines processing of recording the number of times of transfer of data managed by the server, which is requested from the terminal through a second server, as the management data in association with the second server and the data, and processing of copying the object of the data to the second server for which the number of times exceeds a predetermined number.

5. A data management method of, for a plurality of servers connected through a network, transferring data managed by each server in accordance with a request from a terminal, comprising: a recording step of, in each server, recording the number of times of transfer of target data managed by the server, which is requested from the terminal through a second server, in association with the other server and the data; and a copy step of copying the data to the second server on condition that the number of times of transfer of the target data requested through the second server exceeds a predetermined number.

6. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising, in each server, the step of recording an index of the target data managed by the server, and the step of updating the index when the target data is copied.

7. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the servers are hierarchically constructed on the network, and in the recording step in each server, the number of times related to a server on a lower side of the server is recorded.

8. The method according to claim 5 , further comprising, in each server, the step of deleting the target data in the server after the target data is copied in the copy step.

9. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the target data is document data.

10. The method according to claim 5 , wherein the server is a server group formed from a data server which stores the target data, and an index server which stores an index of the target data.

11. A target data management system which has a plurality of servers connected through a network and tranfers data managed by each server in accordance with a request from a terminal connected to the server, wherein the data is managed in an object format, the object contains the data, a management method, and management data, each server comprises means for executing processing defined in the management method, and the management method defines processing of recording the number of times of transfer of data managed by the server, which is requested from the terminal through a second server, as the management data in association with the second server and the data, and processing of copying the object of the data to the second server for which the number of times exceeds a predetermined number.

12. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the management method defines processing of, when the data managed by the server is updated, specifying the server at a copy destination of the object of the data, and processing of instructing the specified server at the copy destination to update the data.

13. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the management method defines processing of specifying the server at a copy source of the object managed by the server, processing of acquiring the object from the specified server at the copy source, processing of determining whether the data of the acquired object is updated, and processing of, upon determining that the data is updated, updating the data of the object managed by the server on the basis of the data of the object acquired from the server at the copy source.

14. The system according to claim 11 , wherein the servers have a hierarchical relationship, and the method defines processing of specifying the object of the data for which the number of times is smaller than the predetermined number, and processing of moving the specified object to an upper server.

15. A data management system which has a plurality of servers connected through a network and transfers data managed by each server in accordance with a request from a terminal, wherein each server comprises recording means for recording the number of times of transfer of target data managed by the server, which is requested from the terminal through a second server, in association with the second server and the target data, and copy means for copying the target data to the second server on condition that the number of times of transfer of the target data requested through the second server exceeds a predetermined number.

16. The system according to claim 15 , wherein each server further comprises means for recording an index of the target data managed by the server, and means for updating the index when the target data is copied.

17. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the servers are hierarchically constructed on the network, and said recording means of each server records the number of times related to a server on a lower side of the server.

18. The system according to claim 15 , wherein each server further comprises means for deleting the target data in the server after the target data is copied by said copy means.

19. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the target data is document data.

20. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the server is a server group formed from a data server which stores the target data, and an index server which stores an index of the target data.